Like many high-school students, Andrew Butler is fond of Xbox, and he might occasionally foray into playing an NHL video game. But he’s far more partial to Black Ops or Grand Theft Auto, with the NHL games perhaps not quite as easily controlled as their real-life counterpart for Butler.

“I do tend to get mad (with the NHL games),” he admitted.

The Germantown High School freshman is very much in control when it’s his own skates touching the ice. Even in his rookie year with the West Bend Ice Bears co-op, he leads the team in scoring (26 points through Jan. 16) and has helped his team jump out to a fast start, now at 12-5.

“I just came to the rink every day with a positive mindset and wanted to get better,” Butler said. “Usually people see me as a scorer or a sniper. I’m not really that good at stickhandling, but I use my speed to get around people, and hopefully there’s an opening in the slot and I see it.”

When he’s not playing for the Ice Bears, Butler is a member of Team Wisconsin, which essentially serves as a state All Star team. That’s different from the similar Junior Admirals program, but the distinction is huge for high-school programs. Whereas the Junior Admirals compete during the winter season, Team Wisconsin plays before and after the high school season, giving players the opportunity to do both.

“A lot of your top-end high school players are Team Wisconsin guys, and those are the guys depending on development who have a chance to take the next step in junior hockey and college hockey,” West Bend coach Buster Hebda said. “We’re fortunate he decided to play for the Ice Bears, and because of that, his brother (junior Adam) decided to come back and play.

“Andrew has been nothing but outstanding for us; he's got all the talent in the world,” Hebda added. “You watch him play, and you'd think he was a junior on the ice or a senior. His maturity and his skill set at that age is very rare. I haven’t seen it in my short time coaching somebody with the amount of skill and hockey sense that he has.”

Andrew Butler skates up ice for the West Bend Ice Bears.(Photo: Submitted photo by Paul Butler)

“I’m a positive person,” Butler said. “I’m usually ready every day and have a good attitude. Most of my points, I only have them because of Eli (Kopish) and all my teammates; they created those opportunities for me to get my points, and I’m just seeing it open up.”

Butler began the sport at age 4 in the Washington County youth program and spent some time at Junior Admirals once he turned 12, where he played for two years before trying out for Team Wisconsin. He averaged about a point a game with the elite unit.

“I’m just hoping that continues when I come back to their team,” Butler said, referring to the end of March. “We’ll travel all around America. We went to Pittsburgh, and we go to Minnesota a lot and Chicago a couple times. If we make it to nationals, we can go to South Carolina.”

For now, he’s traveling up and down Milwaukee’s North Shore, though the Ice Bears have hit a speed bump with three losses in four games, including two in conference. The squad opened the year 11-2.

“We've got a good group of veteran leaders, mainly in our junior class that played last year, but we still don’t have a ton of experience,” Hebda said. “We took a lot of strides in terms of winning a lot of games where in past years we’d have the sense we were going to lose. Last year, we kind of broke that culture, winning some games that we probably shouldn’t have last year, and that's carried over in the confidence level and culture of our program. It’s fun knowing that our guys are going to have a great chance winning a game going into it.”

It will be a more rugged second half of the season, schedule-wise, than the first half.

‘We know we can hang with the top teams in the area and state, and we’re excited to prove that,” Hebda said.

It will be a freshman who leads them. Butler’s collection of points includes 16 goals and 10 assists.

“He's a playmaker,” Hebda said. “The biggest thing with him is he's not selfish in any way. He's going to make the right play at the right time. He knows the situation, when he should pass and when he should shoot. He’s very in tune with his surroundings when he's on the ice, which makes him so successful. … He hates to lose, hates to make mistakes, and he’s very critical of himself. But he’s a guy who comes to the rink to work hard and not just hang out with his buddies for two hours.”

High School Sports Awards

Ready for the biggest night in prep sports? The Journal Sentinel High School Sports Awards will be at 6 p.m., May 14, at the Pabst Theater. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be the guest speaker. Tickets are $23.50.

High School Sports Awards

Ready for the biggest night in prep sports? The Journal Sentinel High School Sports Awards will be at 6 p.m., May 14, at the Pabst Theater. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be the guest speaker. Tickets are $23.50.

Arrowhead senior Marvin Marriott celebrates at the finish line with his brother Max close behind during the boys Special Olympics 100 meter dash at the Myrhum Invitational track & field meet in Hartland on Saturday, May 6, 2017. Scott Ash/Now Media Group, Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Arrowhead girls celebrate their 4th consecutive State Championship with a 7-5 victory over Whitefish Bay/Nicolet/Shorewood (WNS) in the 2017 Wisconsin Lacrosse Federation State Championship game at Carroll University on Friday, June 9, 2017. Scott Ash/Now Media Group, Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Mukwonago senior Bailey Kroll competes in the pole vault at the Myrhum Invitational track and field meet in Hartland on Saturday, May 6, 2017. Kroll placed second with a vault of 14 feet. Scott Ash/Now Media Group, Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Pewaukee third baseman Trent Borgardt (33) guns down a runner headed to first during the Land O' Lakes baseball game at Hartland on Sunday, July 23, 2017. Scott Ash/Now Media Group, Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Spectators watch as Arrowhead junior Henry Chapman races flat out on the final stretch to secure a second place finish in the Classic 8 Conference Championship cross country meet at Lake Denoon Middle School in Muskego on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. Scott Ash/Now News Group, Scott Ash/Now News Group

Members of the Brookfield Police post the colors during the national anthem prior to the football game between Brookfield East and visiting Brookfield Central on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Scott Ash/Now News Group, Scott Ash/Now News Group

Brookfield Central quarterback Drew Leszczynski (2) throws a touchdown pass on a fake field goal play to end the first half at Brookfield East on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017. Scott Ash/Now News Group, Scott Ash/Now News Group

New Berlin West junior Daily Albino competes in the pole vault at the Woodland Conference Championships track and field meet in Pewaukee on Tuesday, May 16. Albino won the conference title and then went on to qualify for state with a sectional title. Scott Ash/Now Media Group, Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Lake Country Lutheran junior Jennifer O'Keefe (8) elevates for a kill during a match against Howards Grove in the Mizuno Charger Rally at the Milwaukee Sting Center on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017. Scott Ash / Now News Group

Wauwatosa West senior Paris Howell competes in the long jump at the Woodland Conference Championships track & field meet in Pewaukee on Tuesday, May 16, 2017. Howell finished third with a jump of 21-04.25. Scott Ash/Now Media Group, Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Girls varsity runners burst off the starting line for the Classic 8 Conference Championship cross country meet at Lake Denoon Middle School in Muskego on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. Scott Ash/Now News Group

Oconomowoc senior Hayden Matheny competes in the pole vault at the Myrhum Invitational track and field meet in Hartland on Saturday, May 6, 2017. Matheny set a school record in regional competition May 23. Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Shorewood's Abbey Drake (24) and Whitefish Bay's Taylor Kerwin (00) collide as they battle for control of the ball during their game at Shorewood High School Tuesday, April 11, 2017, in Shorewood, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Waukesha South's Armoni Brown competes in the Long Jump Event of the West Allis Nathan Hale Mondo Invitational Track and Field Meet held at West Allis Nathan Hale High School Saturday, April 15, 2017, in West Allis, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

New Berlin West's Aubrey Tarmann (8) and Greendale's Desa Vorkapich collide as they battle for control of the ball during the varsity teams game at Greendale High School Tuesday, April 25, 2017, in Greendale, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Waukesha West's Jayden Wollenberg warms-up in the Pole Vault Event before the start of the West Allis Nathan Hale Mondo Invitational Track and Field Meet held at West Allis Nathan Hale High School Saturday, April 15, 2017, in West Allis, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Whitefish Bay's Michael Kirkendoll reacts as he comes up short afte his heat was stopped due to a timing problem in the 55 Meter Hurdles Event of the Wangerin Track and Field Invitational held in Whitefish Bay High School Tuesday, March 21, 2017, in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Cedarburg's Clayton Van Tassel (24) encounters some stiff defense from La Crosse Central's Jordan Davis during the WIAA Division 2 state championship game on March 18 at the Kohl Center in Madison. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Cedarburg's Jared Short reacts on the court following the teams Division 2 WIAA Boys State Basketball Tournament Championship Game against La Crosse Central in the UW Kohl Center Saturday, March 18, 2017, in Madison, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Arrowhead's Ben Seefeld reacts on the bench duing the closing seconds of the teams Division 1 WIAA Boys State Basketball Tournament Championship Game against Stevens Point in the UW Kohl Center Saturday, March 18, 2017, in Madison, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Brookfield Central Head Coach Dan Wandrey shouts to his playes during the teams Division 1 WIAA Boys State Basketball Tournament Semi-Final Game against Arrowhead in the UW Kohl Center Friday, March 17, 2017, in Madison, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Brookfield Central's Jack Brady reacts after taking his turn cutting down the net following the teams WIAA Sectional Final game against Milwaukee Vincent in West Allis Central High School Saturday, March 11, 2017, in West Allis, Wisconsin. Central won the game and will play in the WIAA State Tournament at 8:15 PM Friday in the UW Madison Kohl Center. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

The Oak Creek bench reacts as they score over Brookfield Central during the teams WIAA sectional semifinal game in Milwaukee South High School Thursday, March 2, 2017, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Brookfield Central Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Mallory Liebl shouts to her players during the second half of the teams WIAA Sectional Final Game against Oak Creek in Milwaukee South High School Thursday, March 2, 2017, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Arrowhead players Ben Beversdorf and Caleb Beversdorf skate back to the bench following their overtime loss to the Waukesha wings in the WIAA State quarterfinal game at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison Thursday, March 2, 2017. Waukesha won the game 2-1 in overtime on a goal by Ben Sorge. Todd Ponath/Now Media Group

Waukesha forward Chad Larson (left) celebrates his goal with Wyatt Wilderman during the WIAA State quarterfinal game at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison on Thursday, March 2, 2017. Waukesha won the game, 2-1, in overtime on a goal by Ben Sorge. Todd Ponath/Now Media Group

Greendale Cheerleaders react as Waukesha North's Kiara Ramirez goes out of bounds during their WIAA Regional Game in Greendale High School Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2017, in Greendale, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Waukesha South/Catholic Memorial Swim Coach Blaine Carlson and members of his team jump into the pool following the WIAA Division 1 Boys State Swim Meet in the University of Wisconsin Madison Natatorium Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Madison, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Waukesha South/Catholic Memorial's Caleb Blischke reacts in the pool after the 400 freestyle relay event of the WIAA Division 1 Boys State Swim Meet in the University of Wisconsin-Madison Natatorium on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Madison. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Muskego's Jack Rohlinger gathers his thoughts before the start of the 50 Freestyle Event of the WIAA Division 1 Boys State Swim Meet in the University of Wisconsin Madison Natatorium Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Madison, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Wauwatosa's Danny Larson blows a kiss to an unseen spectator following the 200 freestyle at the WIAA Division 1 boys state swim meet in the University of Wisconsin Natatorium on Feb. 18. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Waukesha West/Mukwonago's Nick Gerum competes in the 200 IM Event of the W.I.A.A. Boys Sectional Swim Meet held in Waukesha South High School Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Waukesha West/Mukwonago's Nick Gerum competes in the 200 IM Event of the W.I.A.A. Boys Sectional Swim Meet held in Waukesha South High School Saturday, Feb. 11, 2017, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Whitefish Bay's Gunnar Stock attempts to keep the ball in-bounds during his game against Nicolet in Whitefish Bay High School Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

Whitnall's Helen Smasal (left) and Greenfield's Ratka Karac battle for possession of the ball in the Falcons' 68-57 triumph on Jan. 6. Karac led the Hustlin' Hawks with 23 points. Michael T. McLoone for Now Media

Wauwatosa East's Ke'Andre Griffin attempts to keep the ball in-bounds during his teams game against Racine Park in Wauwatosa East High School Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017, in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Peter Zuzga/Now Media Group

The Muskego Varsity Cheerleading squad watch a teammate compete as an individual before the A Table judges during the Greenfield Extreme Cheerleading Competition hosted by Greenfield High School Cheerleaders on Jan. 28. C.T. Kruger/Now Media Group

Coach Bob Maronde hands a WIAA Division 2 Sectional plaque to the Cudhay Girls basketball team follwing its 43-34 win over Wauwatosa East at Brown Deer High School on March 4. C.T. Kruger/Now Media Group

Sydney Halstead and the Wauwatosa East Girls Soccer team stream out to greet Emma Martin who made the winning penalty kick to defeat Pewaukee in double overtime and 10 penalty kicks in a WIAA Division 2 sectional win on June 10 and advancement to State competition on Friday, June 16. C.T. Kruger/Now Media Group

The start of the second heat of the 200-meter freestyle relay during the Whitnall Falcon FunFest Invitational on Aug. 19 at the Village Club in Greendale, the season's only outdoor swim meet. C.T. Kruger/Now News Group

Waukesha West's Aric Booth heads the ball away from Oregon's Collin Bjerke during WIAA Division 2 State semifinal play on Nov. 2. at Uihlein Soccer Park. Waukesha West played to a 2-2 tie in regulation play against Oregon, tied 1-1 in two overtime periods, and lost 4-3 in penalty kicks. C.T. Kruger/Now News Group

Jacob Blanco of Whitnall/Greendale struggles to get out of the hold of Mukwonagos Tyris Sinlapakone in the 132lbs class during the WIAA Wrestling Regional Meet at Nathan Hale high school. 11 Feb 2017 Kenny Yoo for Now Media Group

Wauwatosa East sophomore Sydney Halstead (10) tries to contain Whitefish Bay's Taylor Kerwin (00) during the WIAA Division 2 girls state soccer championship at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Kerwin scored three goals in the game, giving her the first hat trick in Division 2 state championship history. Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Whitefish Bay seniors Daria Ghorbanpoor (left) and Taylor Kerwin (00) celebrate scoring the first goal during the WIAA division 2 girls state soccer semifinal against Oregon at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee on Friday, June 16, 2017. Ghorbanpoor scored in the 43rd minute after the initial shot by Kerwin was blocked. Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Whitefish Bay players storm the field after winning the WIAA Division 2 girls state soccer championship 5-1 over Wauwatosa East at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Scott Ash/Now Media Group

Pewaukee pitcher Patrick Tomfohrde (14) looks skyward after defeating Greendale 11-0 at home on Thursday, June 29, 2017. The gesture was to his late father, Scott, who passed away on May 20 from a major stroke. The win secured a share of the Woodland West conference championship for Pewaukee. Scott Ash/Now Media Group